Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-03-14
TEMPERANCE VS.. SALOONS.
OPENING OF A TEMPERANCE MIS-
Sion IN THIS CITY
By Richard 7. Booth at the Metro
politan Theater Last Evening
"A Grand Chorus.

| People began to assemble at o'clock, and
long before the house was completely
packed in the parquet, dress circle and gal
lery, and many hundreds turned away
from the main entrance with the informa-
ton, F" No more room inside" and with
the admonition, Come earlier tomorrow
night" The boxes were all filed, chairs
were placed in the aisles, and chorus of
three hundred voices occupied the stage
This. no doubt, was the largest audience
that has assent led in the new theater, and
certainly was one as respectable and repre-
sentative in character.
Rev. j. E. Wheeler, D. D., presided.
Rev w. c. Merrill read the 18th psalm
lions confidence in God. a feryent prayer
was offered by Rev. A. c. Herrick. The
choir of three hundred trained voices and
orchestral accompaniment of twelve instru-
ments rendered ex cellent music, under the
direction of Professor ]. w. Clough; Miss
Wright, pianist.
The meeting was called TO order by the
President, Rev. ]. E. Wheeler, who stated
that Mr.. Booth had come to Sacramento in
response to the earnest and cordial invita-
ton Of the Pastoral Union of this CITY,
he SalQ IDaL oaCTdiueutO was greatly IN
need of a Temperance revival. He spoke
in high commentator of Mr.. Booth in
this his special field of labor, and of the
great good that be had accomplished in the
United States, England and Australia, hav-
ing reclaimed many thousands from drunk
enness.
Rev. E. r. Ollie followed with few conf
plimentary remarks and encouraging words
for the proposed work. He said when in
the National Republican Convention Ros-
coe Conkling placed in nomination General
Grant, he said: His name is U. S.
Grant, and if you want to know where he
halls from, he comes from Appomattox.
TApplause.l Our lecturers name is Rich
ard T. Booth, and he halls from many
battle-ground that has been the Appomat-
fox and the Waterloo Of the liquor
traffic. He bears many trophies of
victory and has secured million sigma
lures TO the pledge. He comes with a
grand record and we welcome him TO our
city in the name of the parents of Sacra-
mento.
Mr. Booth was then introduced to the
audience He is AZ years of age, native
of New York, an earnest, forcible and elo-
quent speaker. He has espoused the cause
of total abstinence, taken up the banner of
Gospel Temperance Union-has borne it
through three continents and around the
world. Some seven years ago he went to
England, where his efforts were crowned
with success. He also labored in Australia
and New Zealand, and after a short visit to
his parents in New York will return to his
home in New South Wales.
THE LECTURE.
In his opening remarks the speaker said
that his heart was touched by the kind
words spoken regarding himself by those
who had preceded him. For seven long
years be had been in foreign lands, and
many times he had felt and was made to
feel that he was among strangers ard
long way from home. He, did not
feel that way on this occasion, for
he experienced that joy of being once
more in his native country, which no
one, except those who had spent years in
foreign parts, could appreciate. The well
come which he had received at Sacramento
he appreciated very highly. He believed it
came from the heart and was expressive of
the best sentiment in this city. He COM
plimented the choir, and said with its ex-
cellent aid and the prayers of the Christian
people great good would result from these
meetings. You will see as grand results
from this movement in Sacramento as has
been accomplished in any other portion of
the globe, He said: " | never have and |
never shall apologize for speaking upon the
subject of temperance, for if there is any
man in the world that is entitled to do so it
is myself Neither do apologize for begin
ming a work of this character upon Sunday
evening. Ali around the world intemper-
ance is an ubiquitous curse There is no
human but what feels its concentrating in
huence, and no man but what
SOME TIME AND SOME WHERE
Is hurt by it," The work he was engaged
in lifts man from the lowest degradation,
elevates him, tends to improve the morality
of our people, and every man who loves
mis- home, his country and his God should
give if his moral support. He represented
no church nor particular sect OF Christian
ity, his only object was the uplifting of
fallen humanity. The cause in which he
tured in prayer. and will be upheld by
prayer until the last tears of the widow and
orphan are wiped away. That which de-
prives men of their manhood and destroys
the divinity of woman is a sin. He be-
lieyed in local option, he believed in pro-
hibition, but he was satisfied that no legis-
latiye enactment could produce holier
life or a sanctiied humanity. When we
first approach the fallen, or those on the
downward grade, they say I" | can't give it
up They look around them and are con-
strained to say, =" l ought to give it
up, and after serious reflection they decide
the issue and say :. will give it up" We
must be imbued with the love of God, and
out of that love comes the desire to
AMELIoRATE THE sUFFERrNGs OF THE POOR,
And what object is so poor and pitiful as
that of drunkard, robbed of his man
hood, bereft of all honor, destitute of all
shame, a heart that knows no love, an out
cast, a wanderer. For him the flowers
yield no perfume, the trees no shade, the
| birds no song We have come to Sacra-
mento to help all such, and with their help
we will save them. The speaker gave sew
eral illustrations of drunkenness, some of
which were very touching, showing how
! one can fall from mans high estate and
become disgrace to their relations, and a
charge upon the community yet they were
men made in the image of God, and but for
4his devastating curse might be honored and
useful members of society. They are total
yrecks-all that is noble and God-like was
| crushed and smothered out of them. To
save these men this movement is inaugu-
rated in this city. He expected many hun
dreds in this city to sign the pledge. They
will not all keep the pledge. He goes cut
| from the meeting IN his rags; temptation
he finds on every hand. If he is TO be
saved, the Christian people must take him
by the hand and keep him beyond tempta-
ton, by encouraging words, until man
| hood is restored. While all who signed
the pledge did not keep it, the percentage
of those who return to the cup is small in
deed. In 1881. 5000 signed The pledge in
the city of Newcastle, Eng. To-day the
abstainers number 10000 in that city
and rs
PUBLIC HOUSES AND BREwERIEs
Have been closed and the city enjoys de
gree of prosperity never before known il
its history In other cities fully so pei
cent. of those who have joined at those
| meetings have stood by their pledge. In
the wicked city of Liverpool. by actual in
| vestigation, it has been ascertained tina
fully 90 per cent. of those who donned ths
blue ribbon within the past two years hay,
ever been true to their pledge. The speaker
then spoke of the hopeless DRINKS til,
men who had rolled in the gutter so long
that every spark of manhood had appar
entity forsaken them-and gave instances o
some touching reformations of tina
class. One was of an individual
who had been confirmed drunk
ard for upwards of thirty years, anC
who had spent one-half of his lit
locked up in prison. One night he wen
forward to sign the pledge. Some SAID
stop him, he won't keep it. He took tn,